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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              CONTACT: Ellen Wu, (510) 832-1160, ewu@cpehn.org
March 14, 2010                                                                                                   

Hunger Fueling Diabetes Epidemic
Advocates anticipate massive cuts to safety-net services despite evidence showing the connection between food insecurity and diabetes

Just days before the Governor announces his May Revise, the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN) releases a new report warning against the ripple effects of cuts to health and social service programs. The Inextricable Connection between Food Insecurity & Diabetes highlights the connection between the growing number of Californians struggling to put food on their tables and our state’s skyrocketing diabetes rates.

“While the connection between food insecurity and heightened risk for diabetes may be counter intuitive, the pathway becomes clear when we examine how individual coping mechanisms interact with our food environment,” states Hilary Seligman, MD, MAS, Assistant Professor of Medicine UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations, San Francisco General Hospital. “A dollar will buy you 1200 calories worth of cookies, or 250 calories of carrots. If you are low-income the choice is obvious.”

“If the Governor is serious about fighting the state’s obesity and diabetes epidemics, he needs to ensure that all Californians have the resources to put healthy food on their tables,” states Ellen Wu, Executive Director of the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network. “The findings of our report show that food insecure individuals are two times more likely to develop diabetes, even after controlling for race and socio-economic status.”

“With California ’s food insecurity rate hovering near 3 million, and with no let up in sight for record rates of unemployment, we cannot afford more cuts to our safety net programs,” states Ken Hecht, Executive Director of the California Food Policy Advocates. “CalWorks, SSI, and food assistance programs are families' only protection against hunger.”

For more information and to access The Inextricable Connection Between Food Insecurity & Diabetes visit www.cpehn.org.

Ellen Wu, Office: (510) 832-1160, Cell: (510) 710-7870
Hillary Seligman, MD, MAS, Office: (415) 206-4448
Ken Hecht, Office: (510) 433-1122 Ext. 102 

CPEHN works to ensure that all Californians have access to quality health care and can live healthy lives. We gather the strength of communities of color to build a united and powerful voice in health advocacy. For more information about CPEHN and our work go to www.cpehn.org.